(Copy)
Sir

This serves to acknowledge the receipt of both of your favours of the 3d Instant and in the name of this Colony and for myself, beg leave to return you thanks for sending the Favourite, and the Pelican to cruise in these Seas, for the protection of the Trade of these Islands which really stood extreamly in need of it, the American Privateers having been daily all around us, entring even within our Bays, and once if not twice have Landed some of their Crews among the Charibs to gain intelligence of where they might most Commodiously Land, however we have hitherto kept so good a look out that none have ventured to make a descent.

I was Sir on the point when the Favorite arrived of sending off to You an express to request a Convoy for the Nottingham Storeship which came with the late Merchant Fleet, and under the same Convoy to this Island. Her Loading is of the most Valuable kind of every sort of ammunition for the Islands of St Vincent's, Tobago, Grenada, and Antigua and the Orders of the Captain, which he has produced to me, were very strict, by no means to proceed to any of the Islands without a Convoy; under these Circumstances I have requested of Captain Fooks to take her under his protection from hence to Tobago, Grenada, and Antigua unless any different orders of yours shall meet him at Grenada: but in this case Sir I must request you will give the proper directions to have her convey'd down to You at Antigua, since Government has thought her of such Consequence as to be very positive in their Orders that she shall not move without Convoy.

The exigencys of this Island, together with a mistake of all the Arms of the 60th Regiment which come last from England being set to Antigua the head Quarters of the Regt whereas the far greater part were intended for this Island, together with a great mistake in the Quantity of these, and other matters indispensably wanted for this Island has lain me under the necessity of detaining for the use of this Island the articles hereunder mentioned which were in the Antigua Invoice, and I shall give the Captain before he sails a proper memm of the same.

I take Sir this opportunity of acquainting You that the Constant track of the American Schooners is from the Windward of Antigua, all to the Windward of the French, and these Islands, up to the Windward of Barbadoes and there are now several in that path. the day before Yesterday one of our little Vessels was taken there, the Capt: has been permitted to be put on shore here, and he says the Captain th'l.t took him behaved to him with infinite humanity: said he had lost his all in America, and had no other method or chance of indemnifying himself but by some lucky hit in the channel he then was; acknowledged he feared he should be taken sooner or later, but hoped if he was he should meet a treatment proportioned to what he had shewn to all those that had fallen into his hands, and begged his prisoner would candidly report when he came on shore, what that treatment was

In regard Sir to the contents of your other Letter of the same date of the 3d of February, I am to first Sir thank you for your information, and to assure You that equally disapproving with you Sir the late prevailing mode of any or every body going on a Cruize without proper specifick Authority I have endeavoured and with success hitherto, to suppress that practice in the Island under my Command, and shall most undoubtedly continue to do the same, at the same time I take the Liberty of acquainting you that I see the Grounds on which the people you mention have proceeded, and on which the Attorney General of Antigua, and that of other eminent Lawyers have been founded.The Americans being declared Rebels, and to be treated as such: all the Laws of the Kingdom, as well as his Majesty's several Proclamations not only authorize, but command all faithful Subjects to fall on them and annoy in every manner within their power and abilities: and this Sir I presume must prevent every English Subject whatsoever, and whatever be his Command not to treat them as Pirates but as Foreigners, the French more particularly, never enter into, as not Knowing these nice Distinctions of our Laws they will ever treat as Pirates all such as shall be found Cruizing without a proper Commission from his Majesty or those duly authorised by him to grant such, nor do I well see what possibility of Redress persons taken under the predicament of being without a Commission can hope for or expect the French acknowledging, and treating (at least at present) the Americans as independant States will not regulate or alter their conduct and orders to suit our Ideas of Rebels and Rebellion therefore will undoubtedly hang up all as Pirates they may catch in Arms without proper commissions, nor would our Court I presume enter into a War in support of a few Individuals whose own obstinacy, and desire of treading unaccustomed Paths had put them into the Situation they undoubtedly will be in: this Sir however I am afraid is the only risk these adventurers have to run until some new regulations on this hitherto unforseen Circumstance shall be made at home I however again Sir repeat my assurances of my doing every thing in my power to stop a Practice so pregnant with evil and s~ likely to draw the two Nations into a War for objects of such little import. What I have said is meant only as to a War against Rebels, against Foreign Enemys I hold a Commission in all instances necs'sary ashamed to send You Sir this interlined Letter, I can only beg your excuse for so doing as the arrival of the Fleet and Packet together and both bringing me very volumnious Packets requiring answers, Joined to much publick Business of the Island puts it out of my power, or even that of my Secretary to write a fairer Copy without detaining the Packet longer by which this goes I have the Honor to be Sir [&c.]

PS I beg leave to acquaint You that there now is at St Pierres and probably at St Luda several English valuable Seamen, taken by the Americans in their prizes and who nobly refusing to enter into the Service of any of the Cruizers are nearly in a starving condition. I shall immediately send directions to some of my Correspondents at St Pierres to have them furnished with necessarys and some little Money to keep them steady in their present Loyalty, and submit it to You Sir, whether your sending a Flag of truce there might not be a-proper Step both to rescue these Worthy Subjects from want and temptation and to furnish You with some useful! and to be relied on Seamen.

5 Chest of Arms from the Nottingham Store Ship,
being part of his Antigua Invoice.

[Endorsed] (No 8:) Governor Morris's Letter in Answer to Adml Young.

[Admiralty endorsement] In Adml Young's Letter 8 March 1777 –